Online teaching strategies to improve collaboration among nursing students

Collaborative problem-solving is an essential competency for nurses and all health professionals. This paper compares the design characteristics and educational benefits of three online-teaching strategies that nurse educators can use to build the critical thinking and social skills needed for effective collaboration: computer supported collaborative learning, case-based facilitated discussion, and cognitive flexibility hypermedia. These strategies support a critical instructional outcome required for effective collaboration: the ability to examine, assess, and synthesize multiple perspectives to resolve illstructured problems (i.e., problems for which there is no clear-cut solution). Descriptions, examples, and guidelines for implementing each strategy are provided. By integrating these strategies into their online courses, nurse educators can prepare nurses to work effectively with others to solve complex problems in clinical practice and the broader health-care system.